Good things come in little boxes that have my name on them.

 

A combination of thesis writing, thinking about credential programs, and trying to generally figure life out as I near the end of my time in Philadelphia has made for an inclination towards some difficult moments. Mostly they consist of trying to plow through books and ideas and writing through the thick fog that envelops my mind whenever I try to think about too many things at once.

So, on the occasional Monday where the workload seems a little overwhelming, and the sharp, witty, knowledgeable, intelligent self seems conspicuously absent, getting little boxes carefully wrapped in brown paper in the mail is unbelievably exciting.

When those little boxes are from a dear friend and filled with aromatic dried petals and spices and a tea recipe, they seem spectacularly well-timed.

When you realize that you have another little box, delivered by another dear friend over the weekend, that contains a single, brightly colored, lidded teacup from her mother, then life seems, for an instant, in perfect alignment. 

And the day seems like an optimistic start to a week that will contain many hopeful cups of warm, spicy tea.

Persian Spice Tea with Rose Petals and Cardamom

from Lea

Boil 

2 1/4 cups of water

Reduce heat to a simmer, and add

1/2 ts ground cardamom

1/4 ts ground cinnamon

1 tb dried rose petals (or 2 ts rose water)

5 whole cloves

Turn off the heat and let the tea steep, covered, for 5 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter into a nice cup. 

[As you can tell from the photos, I put the ingredients in a teabag, which also worked, although it makes a slightly weaker tea.]

(We just celebrated Purim this past weekend, and I'd like to tell you all about it, but you have to wait until I'm able to look at a hamantaschen again. Or even a photograph of one.)